The main idea here is to help visitors to Chinese temples understand what they're seeing. The three sections are explained below.

Structures

This page describes a typical temple layout, along with notes on some variations.

Statues

The statues are perhaps the most interesting--and most difficult to understand--features of a temple. I'll give you a quick grasp of all of the major, and many of the minor, characters found in temples, with plenty of illustrations.

Symbols

Of course, the structures and statues contain lots of symbolism too. But here I'll show you "pure" symbols, and talk about their meanings in Buddhism.